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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 17, 1984)
Tuesday, July 17, 1984/The Battalion/Page 9 Sports A&M swimmer describes LA. Olympic trials of Mon- By KAREN GILES Reporter He trained four hours a day, six days a week for one race, and in less than 60 seconds, it was over. “It’s every swimmer’s dream to go to the Olympics, and mine was for ‘84,’’ Chris O’Neil, a member of the Texas A&M swim team said, as he placed his glass of orange juice on the coffee table next to the past three issues of Swimmer’s World magazine, Lite magazine’s special iQlympic edition, and a brochure r if Jack- ■featuring the newest designs in rac- rith Car-H ingsuils ' More than 500 swimmers com peted to make thier dream come [true this summer at the U.S. Olym- i pit Trials held at the Indiana Uni- jj T Hversily Nalatorium. I II H “It was the most intense meet I’d ver been to in my life,” O’Neil said. _‘You can stand behind the blocks Hand actually feel the electricity. Even Hlhe director of the meet said the U.S 'Olympic trials are more intense than he Olympics, since 50 guys are com- icling for only two spots in each ace, and the U.S. team probably has the best swimmers in the world.” I O’Neil, a stocky bleached blonde. Hooking more like a body-builder Khan the typical long, lean swimmer, psaid he’s participated in various $$wim meets where he’s been under a nothing like Zoo early S ed that lix Id called next endoa lied free ofi r fendng i er trunk, n 140 ded rritorial 4 ffshore wj es offshore I » River <| .. rcu_»i 01 °f pressure, “but nally 68-d ft : ll)is „ l O’Neil’s roommate, Rick Parker, also a Texas A&M swimmer, said that O’Neil began to get restless about two weeks prior to the trials. “He’d loss and turn a lot,” Parker said. “He seemed like he was in a sort of a daze. I guess he was concen- Iraling. I know the race was on his mind.” | O’Neil confirmed Parkers' obser- |valion. He said he’d lie awake at night, staring at the walls, trying to weep his mind off the race. This a public and must have been hard to do, since his Orleans toi bedroom wallpapering consists of it Service-- two U.S. Swimming Long Course or Deparffl| es — disagi icthod ofs 80 comp Iding," he s it is a coni^ eases.’ •ring area'- Departme"] iey by avoid* evaluators Championship posters, an ‘83 Sports Festival poster, a couple of “girlie” posters (they’re wearing swim suits), and a 20 gallon fish lank. “I guess the restlessness is all a part of the preparation,” he said, flexing his bare feet. “Every swim mer prepares himself for his race differently. Some, like me, tell jokes, I guess to relieve the pressure, and others sit quietly with their head rested between their hands, sort of meditating. But about an hour be fore I went up to the blocks, I felt my mouth go dry.” O’Neil said he intermittently splashed water into his mouth from the pool, and paced around trying to keep himself calm and his mind on the up-coming race. “When they called my name to step up to the starting block, it felt like my heart was in my throat,” he said. “But you know it’s funny, at that moment, I couldn’t wait to swim because it was the best I’d ever felt.” He said the race went by fast—ex actly 55.51 seconds. When he touched the wall, he immediately looked up at the digital time clock through his fogged goggles. Unfor tunately, he was two-tenths of a sec ond off the top eight qualifying Limes for the finals, but was ranked 12th in the nation. “At first I was dissapointed, all that work blown by two-tenths, but after I stopped moping, I realized I’d bettered my time, and moved up in the rankings. Most of all, I re member what a relief it was to have it over with. It really was like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders.” Rather than watch the top eight fi nalists from his race, battle it out on the final night of the trials, he chose to eat out with his parents. His coach, Mel Nash, stopped him and advised him to stay and watch. “I told Mel it would hurt, but he said I needed to hurt. I really didn’t want to stay. The last thing I wanted to see, at that point, was the eight guys Photo by DEANSAI'I'C) Chris O’Neil confers with Texas A&M head swimming coach Mel Nash. that beat me compete for the two available spots on the Olympic team, but I stayed. I was very impressed with their swimming, and I even got to see Pablo Morales break the work! record with a 53.38. My old friend Matt Gribble came in second, and David Cowell is the alternate for the team.” O’Neil said he was glad he stayed that night, since only two years ear lier he had raced against Cribble at U.S. Swimming Nationals in the lane next to him, and “got to see a lot of white water” come from his feet. The trials began Monday, June 23, but for O’Neil training started years earlier. After completing basic training at the age of four, O’Neil progressed to a summer league team at seven, and finally at fourteen, he swam for the Huntsville Swimming Association in Alabama under coach Fran Norris. He had planned on following his brother to Auburn, but was offered a scholarship at Texas A&M, and says he feels like he made the best decision. “The academic and the athletic programs at A&M are excellent,” O’Neil said. “I went on a lot of re cruiting trips, and A&M’s programs were definitely the best supported. I’ve never seen an athletic dorm that compares to Cain, and the training table (board plan) there is excellent.” O’Neil said the U.S team is ex pected to do very well in Los An gelos. “West Cermany, Canada and a few South Americans will be their big competition, but it’s too bad ev ery country won’t compete,” O’Neil said a little dissapointedly. He said he sometimes considers dropping from the competition, es pecially after losing at the trials. “I know it sounds corny, but when I really get down about my swimming, I read this poem on my wall,” O’Neil said, as he unhooked the framed motivator. It’s no wonder it inspires him. It reads: If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you like to win, but think you can’t, it’s almost a cinch you won’t. If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost, For out in the world we find Success begins with a fellows will; It’s all in the state of mind. Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man; but soon or late the man who wins is the one who thinks he can. For O’Neil, the rest of the sum mer consists of “gunning for Senior Nationals” in Ft. Lauderdale Aug. 15-18, then back to school for the fall session. “Even though I lost, I’m really glad I went,” O’Neil said conten tedly, after reading over the poem.“It’s something I can tell my grandkids. But I’ll be honest with you, I’d love to be in L.A. right now.” Olympics showcase boseboll United Press International LOS ANCELES — The pitch, first delivered by U.S. Olympic base ball coach Rod Dedeaux nearly a half-century ago, arrives in Dodger Stadium July 31. Dedeaux, USC’s coach for the past four decades, has spent the bet ter part of his 69 years attempting to get Olympic officials to proclaim baseball a full medal sport in the Summer Caines. Though baseball will only be a demonstration event during the Carnes and the powerhouse Cuban team joined the Soviet-led boycott, Dedeaux is confident a gold medal will be awarded when the world’s best convene four years from now in Seoul, South Korea. Baseball has been a demonstra tion in the Olympics before — fea tured in St. Louis in 1904, in Stock holm in 1912, in Berlin in 1936, in Helsinki in 1952, in Melbourne in 1956 and in Tokyo in 1964. “Baseball is called a demonstra tion sport but it’s not a demonstra tion,” Dedeaux said. “This is for real. It’s a regular tournament. This is the first time baseball will actually be contested in the Olympics. “This will be the greatest single event to promote the sport of base ball.” Eight nations will take part in the round-robin tournament July 31- Aug. 7. Doubleheaders are sched uled each day. Dedeaux, the winningest coach in college baseball history with 1,284 victories and 11 national champion ships in 43 years, said pitching could be the strength of his team. Of the 16 pitchers in camp before a round of cuts were made June 18, eight were chosen in the first round of the major league’s free-agent draft and all 16 went in the first three rounds. “Of course, I’m sorry Cuba won’t be in the tournament,” Dedeaux said. “But it’s still going to be a good field and will still do a lot in further ing the sport of baseball.” A turnout of more than 400,000 fans is expected at Dodger Stadium. >cccoococooc< >ocoooooeoaooGOOO< •••TV'S' »ooo©ocoooo< il The Grove is now offering a pass for each summer session and one for the entire summer. The session pass will admit you to all movies in either session for only $10.00 (that’s $22.50 worth of films for just $10.00, or 56% savings). The season pass will admit you to all the movies, all summer long for only $15.00 (that's $45.00 worth of films for only $15.00, or 67% savings). Passes will be sold during registration and at the MSC Box Office. For more information call the Student Programs Office at 845-1515. area, opes' ■rgy -his is tl> e I juild a is done to 0 e the resea| tied a bidfj Program IJ anograpto] profit corpjj program' million to rogram Ians call H uilding’ H e poultry”" ve- . .abinowitt® * ve a ll L rated ^ nples thai" n all over 1 ship is scll f by Decem 1 cruise .lepl>° ne 6 Movfe begins .... 8:45 p.m. Gate opens .... 8:00 p.m. A&M student with I.D S .75 Non-students $1.50 Children (7-12) $1.00 Children (6 and under) FREE Session Pass (admission for one session at 56% savings) ... $10.00 Season Pass (admission for the summer at 67% savings).... $15.00 •' i. • July IS tyantaiUc Pla*ief This widely acclaimed lilm combines animalion, philosophical theories and surrealism into Ihe story ot a planet where two races have evolved and compete. 1973, 72 minutes, PG. . v l July 16 Recti This gripping lilm stars Warren Bcatly as a reporter who sensationalizes Ihe Russian revolution and pushes lor the Socialist cause in Ihe United States. Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Maureen Stapleton. 1981,199 min utes, PG. July 22 /bneA4ctm Pop Ralph Bakshi, director ol "Fritz the Cal" and "The Lord ol Ihe Rings" directs this journey through lour generations ol American music. 1980, 97 minutes, R. July 23 'IVeA.t Side SioUf Story ol racial tensions as a while boy lalls in love with a Puerto Rican girl. A modern-day Borneo and Juliet wth an incredible score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Rita Moreno. 1961, 152 minutes. July 29 *Z4« £oit 'Mnico’m Animated lable concerning love, loss and lite's limita tions. 1982, 88 minutes, G. July 30 Oldinany People A sensitive, realistic film that deals with a family's reaction lo the loss of one ol its members. Timothy Hutlon, Mary Tyler Moore, Donald Sutherland. Robert Rcdlord s directorial debut. 1980, 124 minutes, R. ¥ July 24 li'ieajeuuf rluKUf An offbeat comedy aboul Ihe rivalry between high school graduates and Ihe snooty college kids that builds to a climax lor ihe university bicycle race. Dennis Chris topher. Dennis Quaid. 1979, 99 minutes, PG. July 31 SirUfiet in the Rain Gene Kelly. Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor frolic through Ihe changeover Irom silenls to talkies in Hollywood. Considered by many the musical-comedy of all lime 1952, 101 minutes. August 1 M*/l*S*Jt Medical unit M'A'S’H 4077th deals with the sadness and horror of the Korean "conllict" through outrageous praclical jokes and black humor. Elliot Gould. Donald Sutherland. 1970, 116 minutes, R. August 2 Midnicfht C-xpAeii. The true story of William Hayes, who was held and tortured in a Turkish prison for a minor offense. Brad Davis, Randy Quaid. 1978, 120 minutes, R. ' . .. . i ; '• . . - ■ i 'idbM :' ■*v— August 5 Peiel Pan. Wall Disney lantasy affirms Peter's belief that childhood dreams will never die as long as you have your imaginalion. 1950, 77 minutes, G. !■ . . August 6 hhe Qleat Qatllnf. Ttie feel ol the Jazz Age is captured perfectly in this adaptation of Ihe F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Robert Bedford. Mia Farrow 1974, 146 minutes, PG. be fy August 7 *?un With fbich and jane A young couple supports their overextended lifestyle by taking up armed robbery in this witty satire. Jane Fonda, George Segal 1977, 95 minutes, PG. August 8 youncj ^Aanheniiein A comic parody masterpiece by Mel Brooks. Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Terri Garr. 1975, 105 min utes, PG. ■ b August 9 'Ihe WaA the Wooldi. H. G. Well's chilling book about the invasion by Ihe Martians is updated to include the menace ol the atomic bomb. Gene Barry, Ann Robinson. 1953, 85 minutes. % August 10 & 11 Miiiintfr A journalist's wife and father search lor him in the political chaos ol a troubled South American country. Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek. 1982, 122 minutes, PG. NITE vi. V- ’ V ' Av August 12 August 13 August 14 % August IS August 16 V/re Point A simple tale that successfully attacks a complex issue prejudice A classic. 1971, 75 minutes, G. . .V My tyaiA Jladp On a bel, Protessor Henry Higgins attempts lo turn a cockney flower girl into cultured English gentility. Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison. 1964, 170 minutes, G. cJla/iold and Maude A wealthy dealh-obsessed teenager falls in love with a lively octogenarian in this joyous black comedy. Rulh Gordon. Bud Cort 1971, 92 minutes, PG. 9 to 5 Three abused secretaries find a simple solution lo their problem: dispose of the boss, or al least keep him indisposed until he's a bit more amenable to their suggestions. Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin. Dolly Parton. 1980, 110 minutes, PG. ... ——J /! Roy and cMil Iboy A tale ol survival on post-atomic earth. 2024. Don Johnson, Susanne Benlon. 1975, 91 minutes, R. sy S'-s ' I m v t <* rV 1 ml MSC StututteA IbinneA "llieatxe MSC Summer Dinner Theatre proudly announces the exciting theatrical menu for this summer These two plays are perlect offerings suitable tor the entire lamily. The season opens with me romantic comedy Bell, Book and Candle by John van Druten. running Irom July 5-8 (Thursday-Sunday mahnee) You also won't wanl lo miss ooososoeoocoooso: Towards Zero by Agalha Christie, a whodunit guaran teed to keep you on Ihe edge ol your seal! Towards Zero runs August 1-4 (Wedncsday-Salurday) Season tickets and group rates available al the MSC Box Office. 845-1234 iooooeoooococoof